1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a reusable support for eating utensils and, more particularly, to a reusable support for eating utensils that provides a space to display articles.
2. Related Art
It is common practice in most casual dining restaurants, other than fine dining, to provide eating utensils laid out on a bare table-top surface or, alternatively, to provide the eating utensils wrapped in a single napkin. Even if the utensils are provided wrapped up in a napkin, they most often end up on the bare table surface, while the napkin serves as a lap napkin.
Such practices can often be unsanitary since it not only can cause eating utensils to become contaminated with bacteria and/or various foreign substances, but it can also cause counter tops and table tops to become unnecessarily soiled. As a result, it has been found that the practice of placing eating utensils directly on counter tops or table tops prior to and between periods of use is unsatisfactory to many restaurant patrons, as well as to many restaurant owners and/or operators.
Attempts to overcome this problem have been disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 227,224 to Dodge; U.S. Pat. No. 799,612 to Moore; U.S. Pat. No. 1,264,914 to Fresh; U.S. Pat. No. 2,354,968 to Pickering; U.S. Pat. No. 2,567,817 to Lunde; U.S. Pat. No. 2,615,318 to Gray; U.S. Pat. No. 2,651,927 to Mullins; U.S. Pat. No. 2,789,349 to Lee; and Design U.S. Pat. No. 196,133 to Brown. However, such references fail to disclose an effective disposable support and advertisement portion for supporting a set of eating utensils.
The present invention is directed to a support for eating utensils. The support includes an elongated support frame or housing including an interior, defined by a first set and a second set of opposing interior walls. The first and second sets of walls are substantially perpendicular to one another. A central support portion is supported by the walls, and at least one aperture is disposed in the central support portion, which is adapted to receive and support an eating utensil. Opposing tabs are disposed on a first set of the opposing interior walls. Opposing ribs are disposed adjacent to the tabs. The tabs are adapted to provide support for an article insertable into the interior of the support frame and the ribs are adapted to frictionally maintain the article in a stable position in the interior of the support frame. Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.